Hades, Persephone et al
by skydreii
Summary: As you can read above, it's about Hades and Persephone and many other Greek gods and goddesses. Enjoy! Ciao!
1. The Pig and the Brat

**Okay. I know I am not really good at anything - especially writing - but I want to give this a shot.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters here. And if I use the Greek gods and goddesses in a wrong way or a wrong relationship with the other Greek deities, forgive me. I am trying to stay within the scope of their powers and responsibilities but I also want them to live out the ideas I have in my mind about how their stories started and how it'll all end. Have fun! And you can leave your comments and suggestions. Thank you!**

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**Chapter 1  
**

How many years had passed since the world came into existence? How many eons passed since he, the Lord of the Underworld, was brought forth into this world only to be swallowed alive by his very much, good for nothing Titan for a father, Kronos? And how many ages had passed since Zeus, his baby brother and the Lord of the Sky and the First among the Greek gods and goddesses, saved him and their other siblings from such an ugly fate of eternal damnation inside Kronos? Thousands and thousands of days, oh wait, was it weeks, months? No, surely, it must be much longer than that. Years . . . yes years had passed. Years too had passed since he visited the gods and goddesses residing within the magnificent halls of Mount Olympus.

"One could really loose sense of time in the Underworld. What with all the judging and controlling of the lost souls there." He told himself.

Looking around his throne room, he smiled. One look at the vast room, he could appreciate the wonder and awe he sees in Hermes' face every time the young god comes down to tell him of things his brother, Zeus, asked of him. Shaking his head, he cannot imagine how mortals – especially the Greeks – could make out something hideous of a place in their stories about his kingdom when it is completely the opposite. Even the souls who are finding peace and judgment could not help but make their lifeless eyes travel the entire structures of his throne room. One look at those souls and you could say that they are drinking into their memories the beauty that fills the very halls wherein they are being passed judgments for the things they did while they walk the earth. From the mirror-like floors that reflect oneself as if you are looking straight at a huge mirror with every step you take up to the ceiling that shows eternal night with stars that group together to form constellations that bring forth golden yellow light into the entirety of his throne room, one could really be left breathless.

"Mortals, they really have a wild imagination. Making their fellowmen fear death, fear judgment, fear me and half of the reason is that it seems like it is a very tragic and unfortunate thing to travel the River Styx and towards my throne room to be judged. Woe to them who fears peace by dying. Woe to those mortals who fear getting old. Woe to those who cannot understand the beauty of having eternal life after their journey on earth. Woe to them all for fearing a god they should never fear."

"Uh, Hades? Are you even listening to me?" A young man's baritone voice that any woman would very much love to hear speak her name said, snapping Hades from his own thoughts.

"Yes, Hermes? Forgive me if I seem to drift away and think of mortals. Because unlike you, I have a lot of dying souls to guide through their last resting place, and unlike you, I must pass judgment on them according to how they lived their lives on earth." Hades answered; a look at Hermes' handsome and full-of-life face, he added, "You understand?"

"I understand." Hermes said in a clipped tone of a voice.

"Do you, really?"

"Do."

Looking intently at the perpetually young god in front of him, Hades tries to see if the young god is being truthful to what he said. Gods living in Mount Olympus often fail to see the real meaning of his words. They tend to take his comments offensively. Well, being the Lord of the Underworld, passing judgments to dead mortals, makes him become very blunt and straight to the point when expressing his opinions. Just because they are immortals doesn't mean they can play with words, that they have to beat around the bush, and that they have to use trickery words to trap or even embarrass each other. Just because they have eternity as their companion doesn't mean they have to take things for granted. That is just too selfish. Smiling, he stood up and let his black robe and purple cloak cover the entirety of his physique; from his broad shoulders down to his ankles. He walked down the steps from his throne and started to go towards the huge-black-marbled doors with emeralds, two feet big, for handles.

"Wh-where are you going Hades? You still need to hear my message out. I –"

"Hermes." Hades said while flinging a hand in front of the young god to stop him in mid-sentence.

"Yes?"

"You said my presence is required in that little Olympian gathering, right?"

"That is what I said."

"And that I should not be late."

"Right on that one."

"And if there will be any delays on my arrival, you will answer to Zeus. Right?"

"Precisely."

"Then we go, now."

"But . . . "

"Now what?"

"You see Hades, it's sort of a ball. A celebration for the coming of age of Demeter's daughter, Persephone. And . . ."

"Oh? That little brat is now a lady goddess?"

"Yes. And . . ."

"Seems like she'll be more of a brat now than when she's a little child."

"Hades!" Hermes looked sternly at him.

"She has a special place in your heart? Right, Hermes?"

"Have you seen her? I mean, not the young cuddly little babe wrapped in swaddling clothes crap like that. Have you seen her now that she's a grown up lady for a goddess? Have you?" Hermes said, giving his most mischievous smile.

"Well, whatever she looks like right now wouldn't make any difference to me. She's still a brat like Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, and their mothers."

"Athena? Mother? Really?"

"Cut it out, Hermes. It is a . . . figure of speech or something. You know full well, Athena was ripped out of Zeus' head and took all of his common sense with her while in the process." Hades said, turning his back on the young god and with a wave of his hands, beckoned Hermes to follow him towards the huge, black marble double doors with huge emerald handles.

"Now Hades, be more serious on the matter." Hermes said, trying to prevent laughing at Hades' retort.

"Just because you take things like they are sort of a big joke or something doesn't mean everybody does. I am serious when I said that. Now, is there anything else I need to know?" Hades said, as he walks towards a huge fireplace emitting a purple glow. The huge fireplace could fit four catapults with a lot of space for ten more soldiers; he uses it for traveling straight out of the Underworld towards any place he needs to be if he will be accompanied by any other deity that does not live within his kingdom - Hermes in particular. He was nearing the fireplace when he noticed that he couldn't hear the young god's feet following him. Turning around, he could see that the young god is mischievously smiling while looking at the different gems that line the ornate designs sculpted directly into the huge double doors of his throne room. Shaking his head, he moved swiftly – as fast as lightning – towards the young god who was busily touching the gems.

"Well . . . Like what I was saying I –" Hermes was cut short when one moment he was about to take out one purple-like gem – amethyst perhaps – out of the pattern when out of nowhere, Hades' hand is gripping his wrist firmly though not tightly.

"Agh! Let go Hades!" Hermes tried to remove Hades' cold and pale fingers but the god really has his wrist in an iron grip and no matter how hard he tries, it just wouldn't budge.

"What do we have here?" Hades whispered, threateningly. Hermes is a young and mischievous god. He practice thievery, much to the annoyance of everyone. And he can never tolerate that act.

"Why . . . I am just admiring the gems Hades. No need to be too harsh on me." Hermes answered back.

"I see. Well, why we are at it, do I need to learn anything else?" Hades asked, looking intently at Hermes.

"Well, I'll tell you if you'll let go of my wrist now."

Looking at the blue eyes of the young god, Hades decided to let go of Hermes' wrist."

"Gee! Thanks." Walking towards the fireplace and stopping midway, Hermes looked at him with all the pride the young god could master after getting caught.

"Well, Hermes? I am waiting." Hades said.

"Ah! Yes. Well, it is a ball for Demeter's daughter Persephone and . . . "

"I know that much now."

"I'm getting on it! And since it is a ball, you are required to attend it in all the elegance you could muster. If it wouldn't be too much for you, maybe you could, ah, wear something lively, vibrant, or . . ."

"Frivolous, flamboyant, like all the other gods and goddesses, you mean?"

"Or spring-like." Hermes said indignantly.

"Spring?" Hades said, his eyebrows shooting up into his smooth forehead.

"You know, one of the four seasons? There's Summer, Autumn or Fall, Winter then Spring."

"Hermes."

"All right, point taken, don't you know that she will be the Goddess of the Spring?"

"Sweet." Hades whispered while crunching up his nose as if he could smell something bad.

"Now Hades . . . will you please change your clothes now?"

"Nah! This is me and I love this. Black robes, purple cloaks, black helm, black shirt-mail with a slash of green gems around it. It's perfect Hermes."

"But Zeus will not like this . . ."

"This is me. And I wouldn't change for any goddess' consecration or 'ball' Hermes, keep that in mind. And by the way," A simple and swift movement of Hades' right hand made something move in Hermes' pockets, gems from the throne room and the huge double doors made of marble, flew towards Hades' hands as if they have a will of their own or as if they are being magnetized by the Lord of the Underworld himself, "I don't condone stealing."

And with a swish of his cloak, he was gone. As soon as the Lord of the Underworld was gone, green flames sprung out of the black floors and up into the ceiling made of purple marbles with sculptures sprouting green flames this time as well. One look at the green flames, Hermes knew that the Lord of the Underworld made those green flames to protect his throne room from prying hands like his.

"Immortal prying hands like mine could burn through that."

Looking at the cavernous hall outside of the throne room, Hermes shook his head and said "Looks like I got to go out of this maze of a kingdom on my own again. I hope Charon would be oh so willing to let me take the way back again, for free. No more drachmas."

Whistling a hymn he heard Apollo play, Hermes slowly retraced his way back to where he came from away from this land of the dead and out into the world of the living.

* * *

"Mother?! I don't want that."

"But my child, it will make you really pretty. Your auburn hair and fair skin will perfectly match these pearls."

"No mother. I prefer to have garlands of flowers decorating my entire dress and all that. And I don't want my hair all tied up with frills falling out on my face. It just wouldn't do. I would rather have my hair perfectly down. Better that way."

"Persephone, you can always have that the way you want it, but not today. Today is your consecration day wherein you get to be the Goddess of the Spring."

"Precisely mother. Goddess of the Spring. Not, this." Persephone wrung her hands out in front of the huge and tall mirror in front of her. Wide and infuriated hazel eyes are looking out at her. Lips that could rival Aphrodite's lusciousness are now pouting like a child, and she could not help it. Demeter and her ministrations annoy her to no end. She's not helpless or dimwitted. Why can't she have it the way she wants it to be?

"More like a goddess with the spring in her feet. Springs that could rival Hermes' winged ones." A firm womanly voice said from somewhere along the foot of her bed. Swinging her head, she looked daggers on the gray-eyed goddess sitting, cross-legged, smiling beautifully and annoyingly at her. Athena really could pull some jest when she wanted to.

"Hah! Very funny, Athena. Not." Persephone answered back.

"Persephone!" Demeter said. Her mother's chocolate brown eyes are looking sternly at her. That look should tell her to let Athena's retort pass and just concentrate on fixing herself for her up-coming but not-so-looking-forward-to ball in a few hours.

"Let her be Demeter. Persephone wants to do it her own way. It makes her feel more womanly." Athena said while smiling at Persephone.

"And you call yourself my friend." Persephone whispered.

"I heard that." Athena answered.

"Good then."

"Don't be smart on me Persephone."

"Why not? This is my moment. I should be getting what I want for a difference. I will be a goddess of the Spring in a few hours! Why can't you deities make me do it my own way?"

"You said it yourself. 'Will be'. So it means you are not yet there Persephone. And whether you like it or not, you will follow your mother's orders until you drink off of the cup of Ambrosia that will stop you from aging. End of discussion." Athena answered back in a matter-of-fact tone that clearly says NO NONSENSE ALLOWED.

"If only Artemis is here."

"What? She will take your side? I don't think so Phoney Looney." Athena sweetly chided.

"She will."

"Come on! We both know Artemis loves the woods and the hunt better than a man's backside but she wouldn't take your side on this matter. Your case is like a man's backside Phoney Looney."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"A losing case. Impossible. So drop it."

"Artemis will take my side. She will see why I would rather be . . ."

"Artemis is passionate with what she does and that is hunting and chasing whatever crosses her path in the woods or anywhere. She may not understand where a mother's heart is coming from but she would see sense. Right Demeter?"

"And you would Athena?" A husky, sweet voice said from nowhere.

"Artemis!" Persephone said when she saw the goddess of the hunt with her golden bow and arrow hanging on her right shoulder while leaning on the left portion of Persephone's doorway, smiling sweetly at her.

"Persey." Artemis playfully said while walking towards the youngest goddess to give her a hug.

"I missed you Artemis!" Persephone hugged the goddess of the hunt in a tight embrace.

"And I miss you too."

"How's the hunt?"

"Went well."

"More than well I think." Athena said. Smiling and standing beside Artemis now. One look at the two goddesses in front of her Persephone thinks that the two are one of the most beautiful and tallest goddesses in Mount Olympus. It is not the first time she prayed that she could be as tall as the two or maybe even as tall as Aphrodite who is two or three inches smaller than the two. Better than being a head shorter goddess like her.

"What's wrong?" Artemis asked her.

"Nothing. I just can't get over the fact that you two are so tall. Two of the tallest goddesses in Mount Olympus. You are almost as tall as Apollo, or Ares, or Hermes at that. I wish I can be as tall as you two. I am fine with Aphrodite's height too."

"But you are pixie-like."

"Athena!" Artemis said.

"What? I am just being honest. Come on. I love Persephone so much, she's like a little sister to me and these little jokes are something we do in exchange just to make the environment lighter than what it is."

"Too blunt like Hades." Artemis answered.

"Well, he's our Uncle at that."

"Whatever."

"No. Athena is right. I am pixie-like."

"A very beautiful pixie-like goddess."

"Trying to make her feel good Athena?" Artemis said.

"No. I am just telling the truth. Now, change and have your hair up and wear those motherly pearls Demeter wants you to wear so you'll look like the real woman that you are. Just perfect for tonight's event. Your coming of age."

"Athena?" Persephone whispered softly, looking straight into the goddess' grey eyes.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For?"

"Making me feel good."

"It's nothing. Now get going. Fix yourself." Touching her hair, twirling it in her slender and beautiful fingers, Athena smiled and then letting go of Persephone's auburn hair, left the room.

"Athena loves you Persey. And she doesn't want you to act foolishly just because you wanted to get things your own way now."

"You heard our conversation Artemis?"

"No. I just made the conclusion that you are trying to get your way again Persey."

"Oh. Then you didn't hear her retort about your passion for the woods and hunting then?"

"You mean the man's backside and my choosing the woods and the hunt over it?"

"So you've heard."

"Somehow. I don't eavesdrop. And I just love her for it."

"Who doesn't?"

"You're right Persephone, who doesn't?"

"Are you done talking about a man's backside and all that?" Demeter interrupted the two goddesses.

"Yes. I think I am done here too Demeter. She's all yours." Artemis said.

"Athena is getting ready for the event now. I'd say you do too Artemis." Demeter said in a motherly tone.

"Oh I am good Demeter. Really."

"Artemis. Get ready too. It's a ball and you couldn't just go there in your usual garb of a huntress. I want this to be perfect for my little honey here."

"I am no longer a child mother."

"Oh yes you are. Until you drink from the cup of Ambrosia, you are still a little child Persey. Don't worry Demeter, 'my usual garb' is perfectly fine."

"Artemis. Now." Demeter said.

"Oh! You sound like mother at times."

"Why Artemis, I am a mother. Thank you very much!"

"Yes. I can see that perfectly. Well, I got to go. Be pretty Persephone. Bye Demeter. See you later."

"Artemis!" Demeter said in a stern voice.

"Way to go Artemis." Persephone whispered as Artemis vanished into thin air with a pleading smile at Demeter.

"Mother, let's go get on with the pearls and the hair, shall we?" With Artemis and Athena present on her ball, everything will be perfect. Just perfect.

* * *

Everything is still the same since He last went to Olympus. It seems like while men are busy with perfecting their lives, while men are busy learning from their past mistakes, while men are busy with chasing every opportunity that come to their lives, while men are busy keeping their paces in league with the world's continuous changes, Olympus remained untouched. Hades cannot help but smile. Eternity is too long a time for the gods and whether he likes it or not, they're bound to live through it.

"How I envy mortals. They are not bound by time, unlike my Olympian family."

"And why is that my dear uncle?" A firm voice of a woman behind him asked.

"Athena" Hades said the name without facing his niece. She is the goddess that sprung forth from Zeus's head, the goddess of Wisdom, his most favored niece – Athena.

"You have been gone for so long uncle. What kept you?"

"You know my obligations and responsibilities Athena." Hades said.

"Sorry, I forgot, you are the Lord of the Underworld." Athena smiled, offering him a bronze cup with nectar in it.

"Thank you. Cheers." Hades smiled and took a sip. Oh! How he missed this. He doesn't need it too much and yet the feeling of being able to taste nectar again and ambrosia is beyond any carnal pleasure he had experienced during his entire existence – not that he indulge himself too much.

"Uncle?" Athena asked, worry etched in her face.

"Um." Hades moaned with his eyes closed.

"Are you alright?"

Opening his eyes, he looked at the worried gray eyes of his niece. Smiling, he lifted his cup and walked towards the garden. Looking back, he smiled when he saw Athena following suit with worry still etched on her face.

"Uncle, are you feeling unwell?"

"Athena, my niece, it's the nectar. It's been too long since I last tasted this and to be honest, I missed it. It's just exhilarating. It's giving me too much pleasure better than carnal ones do. If you know what I mean."

"Did you say 'Carnal Pleasures' Uncle? I didn't know you indulge yourself into such practices too like my half brothers Apollo, Hermes, and Ares."

"Now Athena, they are your brothers. Not 'half brothers'. And no, I do not indulge into too much sexual pleasures; you know I do not practice that too much. I am way beyond that."

"You are a god. Mortal men are derived from gods the same way that women are derived from goddesses and I do not forget that the sexual hunger that mortal men experience and carry within themselves came from egotistical gods – and that includes you."

"And where did my smart and cunning niece get that information?" Hades murmured. Glancing at his niece, he raised his hand to forestall Athena and continued, "Let me guess."

Athena, smiling, crossed her arms around her abdomen and nodded.

"Aphrodite. Ouranos' daughter."

"And your sister?"

"And my sister."

"She has your looks uncle."

"You are pulling my leg. Is that my niece's way of appeasing my afflicted ego? I do not forget that you just said that I love my pleasures especially those pertaining to bed pleasures."

"I did not."

"Did. You just put it in a nicer way. I told you, I am not like your father or your other uncle at that. I am far nobler than that Athena."

"No. You are just too busy to indulge to such acts uncle. You can't fool me."

"I don't have time Athena. I am the Lord of the Underworld."

"Oh! You don't have to remind me that uncle. You should find a wife. Don't tell me you plan to be a bachelor all your life? And to think uncle, that's for eternity. How long have you been the Lord of the Underworld? A thousand years, five thousand?"

"Two thousand and counting Athena. A wife? I cannot see myself getting a goddess for a wife."

"Hestia?"

"Nah. Impossible. She rejected your father, Zeus, and your Uncle Poseidon as well. She wanted to be eternally virgin right? And you plan to do the same thing right? So does Artemis. And I bet Persephone too, though I haven't seen that brat for a very long time. I heard she became a beauty like Demeter too."

"Yes, she is. And yes I plan to follow Hestia and Artemis's plan of being eternally virgin and unwed to any god or mortal. Do not tell me uncle, you wanted to stay a virgin for eternity too?"

"Do you honestly think I never did 'that' my niece?"

Athena's laughter rang in the entire garden of Olympus.

"No Uncle. I guess you did. And I guess, you just never met your future wife yet. I just hope that the fates will let you see her soon, whoever she is, and may you find happiness with her uncle."

"Cheers to that Athena." Hades said, emptying his cup in one gulp. The warmth that travels in his entire system makes him close his eyes and uttered silent thanks for such a good drink. Opening his eyes, he could see the entire garden in its splendor. Yes, it's been too long. Giving Athena a courteous bow, he started to go back to the main hall when Athena suddenly called his name.

"Uncle Hades."

"Yes?"

"What do you mean by what you said back there at the main hall, about how lucky mortals are for not being bound by time? Don't you see, they keep on rushing into things, they try to grab every little time they could have. They constantly pray for more time on earth, they prayed that time may slow down so they could hit their deadlines in productions; they pray that time will be slower so that they do not age fast, and they pray that time will just be more than night and day. Surely, you can say that they are prisoners of time. Why envy them?"

Hades smiled and watched the clouds that travel around the garden of Olympus.

"You are right, they rush on things, and they do not have eternity with them unlike us. You are right that they are prisoners of time but you are forgetting one thing. A man's life on earth is too short. Every day, he must race against time to meet deadlines like you said. Every day, he must find ways to balance his time because for him, time wasted is an opportunity lost forever. Fighting it, trying to do everything in such a short while makes him a prisoner of time. But then again, with so little time given to him, he learns to value it more than we gods and goddesses do. When death comes, time doesn't bear any meaning to him. He could rest in peace after wards, no longer bound in time. What about us? We live forever Athena, we may have all the time in the world, but we can't find peace within us, within our families, even within ourselves. Man, when his time is up, will break free of his imprisonment. We, on the other hand, will live through eternity and 'eternity' is time itself. Man is a prisoner of time. Gods and goddesses its slaves. Now, tell me, which is worse? See you around Athena."

Without waiting for Athena's answer, Hades left the garden. He knows it is a crooked reason. Given enough time, Athena will find a flaw in what he said. She is a smart goddess. He is not in the mood to talk about mortals, about life, about wisdom or even about time. Time is always there for immortals like him. That is their curse. They can never run away from time. How could they? They were brought out of time himself – Kronos. Hades never saw the light of life when he was brought out into the world by his mother Rhea. The same happened with his brother Poseidon and his three sisters; Hestia, Demeter and Hera. Only Zeus, their youngest brother was saved from such an ugly fate. Being swallowed alive by your own father when you were just a babe? Who in their right mind would do such an abomination? Nobody else could do such an act, only time – Kronos. For Hades, it is a good thing that his brother Zeus was saved. In saving the youngest son, Rhea had saved them all. The Titan Kronos – his father – is an evil one and must be stopped. The ingenuity of standing up against Kronos, dethroning him and placing Zeus as lord of all is a very wise move. It gave them freedom to rule over mortals but killing Kronos had been a curse as well. Blasting him to pieces, throwing what's left of his essence into the darkest abyss of Tartarus had brought them a curse. Immortality became unbearable therefore the gods and their children became petty and too shallow to be called gods and goddesses.

He was under a deep thought when suddenly someone pushed three pointy little things behind his back. Hades inhaled and smiled. It seems like one of the gods are trying to play a game with him. Smiling and shaking his head, he slowly raised his hands in the air to show the assailant that he is not armed.

"I come in peace." He jokingly said without turning his head.

It seems like the 'assailant' wouldn't want to give himself away. Smiling and bending his head slightly to the left as if hearing for any sound from the god behind him he took another deep breath.

"Stop this brother. I could smell the Ocean in you."

"And I could smell death in you." A deep manly voice said behind him in a joking manner. Hades doesn't need to look at his brother to know that the latter is smiling.

"It only seems fair." Hades murmured.

"What gave me away?" His brother said, slowly putting down – Hades is guessing – his trident. He heard metal slamming on the marble floor before turning around to face his brother.

"Didn't I tell you? You smell like the Ocean – fish and stuffs." Hades said. Looking at his brother, Hades cannot help but smile. One look at Poseidon and Hades could say that he really missed his brother – from Poseidon's sandy haired head and deep blue eyes that shine like sapphire and down to his toes – it seems like the old times.

Poseidon made a gesture that looks like he is trying to smell himself.

"Cut that out. You look stupid." Hades said, smiling.

"No one calls me stupid, brother." Poseidon answered, putting a tone of I-am-warning-you in his voice.

"Except me." Hades answered. Turning his back on his brother, Hades entered one of the deserted halls of Olympus overlooking the world of mortals. He took one step when suddenly the entire hall seems to turn. One moment he is on his feet and then the next, he is already on all fours.

"Got you there brother."

"Poseidon." Hades whispered.

"Rule number one, never ever turn your back to your enemy."

Shaking his head, Hades willed himself to move. Using his elbows for support and his feet for leverage, he twisted around and in just a matter of seconds pushed himself up, pinning his younger brother Poseidon to one of the huge columns lining Olympus.

"Rule number two, never consider a small time trick as a huge victory brother." Hades viciously whispered in his brother's left ear while pinning Poseidon with his forearm and right knee.

"All right, you win. You can really move fast brother." Poseidon said in between breaths. Looking at him, Hades tries to read his younger brother's eyes. Those sapphire blue eyes are full of concealed laughter and kindness that Hades felt stupid for feeling annoyed and murderous just because he thought Poseidon is trying to kill him.

"What do you think you're doing huh? Pulling a silly stunt like that. If I am somebody else, like Zeus, you could have gotten yourself in a tight situation." Hades reprimanded Poseidon. Pulling himself away from his younger brother, he tries to straighten his garb while waiting for Poseidon to get a grip on himself.

"Well, you are not Zeus."

"And what does that exactly means?"

"I mean, you are more careful, precise, in your actions, brother, unlike Zeus who is rash and careless."

"His rashness and carelessness saved us Poseidon."

"That is pure luck, brother."

"Really?"

"Yes." Poseidon answered back, swinging his arms while slowly directing his eyes into the mortal world. "If not for Rhea, if not for her ingenuity, we would all be dead by now and Kronos would still rule the earth. Zeus just got lucky. He lost control brother, he cannot fully control that lightning bolt and that resulted to the obliteration of Kronos! What can you call that? Nothing! Nothing but pure luck!"

"But still, you cannot disregard the fact that he really saved our necks from eternal oblivion. You owe Zeus something."

"He's scared." Poseidon answered.

"A wise god should always be scared especially someone who put Kronos into such eternal damnation. He killed his own father Poseidon and he should fear the wrath of the fates for that. They may cast a curse on him. Remember how much we consider murdering your own kind an abomination? Zeus has his reasons to be scared. But unlike Kronos, he is not an evil god. He tries to do what is right the same way that we try to do our responsibilities and obligations rightly. The god is the Lord of all. Cut him some slack."

"He's scared of you Hades." Poseidon whispered. "His fear of what you can do as the oldest of Kronos' sons had made you Lord of the Underworld, Lord of the Dead. He thought that putting you in charge of the Underworld could make you weak and be lenient with your powers. Now, he could not take it back. It is too late."

"What are you saying Poseidon? That is treachery! Our brother is the Lord of All. He has no reason to fear me."

"Oh yes, he has brother. He has every reason to fear you, the Lord of the Dead. You could call dead armies of thousands into your power, make them attack Olympus, dethrone him and become the undisputed god of all. He fears that. I know, because I fear that as well."

"That's stupid, brother."

"How do you kill the dead?" Poseidon shot back.

"I . . . I don't know. You cannot kill the dead anymore, you can only call them back to wherever they should be but you cannot kill what is already dead."

"Precisely, Zeus can call mortals to fight for him and yet they are bound by death brother. You slash them, you cut the thread and they're dead and once they're dead, they will be under your power. You are the most invincible of the gods."

"That is an evil thought Poseidon."

"Yet powerful. Tempting."

"Listen Poseidon." Hades whispered in a mad voice, grabbing the front of Poseidon's robe. "I may be the Lord of the Underworld but I am not an evil god. Remember that." He pushed Poseidon away from him and walked out of the hall, away from Poseidon.

* * *

Is that how they see him, an evil god who could dethrone Zeus? He is not made of that kind of crap. He is the son of Kronos like them but he does not harbor that vileness, that evil side of Kronos. Yes, being a son of such an evil Titan, they are tainted by evil as well. Him, Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter, Hera and even Zeus; but just like them, he tries to keep it in check. He doesn't have any plans of ruling the world. No. He is already a very busy Lord of the Underworld; he doesn't need another responsibility added to his shoulders. Blast that Sea god! Losing his control, Hades whirled a black swirling shadow towards Demeter's rose bushes when he heard an unfamiliar voice from behind him.

"What did you just do?! Blasting away such a nice rose bush! You don't know what my mother had put into those. You gods really have no love in nature!"

An indignant yet soft voice said from the background. Looking around him, Hades tries to see the owner of the voice but all he could see was a swirl of green and brown windy essence running towards the rose bushes. One second, the essence was in front of him and then the next it was gone. Turning around, he saw a small woman – _no, she's a goddess_ – a small goddess was kneeling in front of the old and now ugly and dying rose bushes of his sister, Demeter. He was about to take a step towards the goddess when all of a sudden the little goddess shot her hands in front of him without even looking. Now, how could the goddess sense his movements?

"Don't you dare try to make another step you uncouth god. Stay where you are while I try to fix these rose bushes you just tried to destroy."

_Uncouth god_? Him, Hades? No goddess had ever dared call him uncouth. Now this little goddess is asking for it.

"What did you just called me?"

"Uncouth. You are uncouth, a rogue. What else could you be? After what you did to these innocent roses you are definitely a pig!" The little goddess said without even looking at him.

_First, I am uncouth, now I am a pig? How fast could I possibly change from one ugly definition to the next?!_

"And you, little goddess, are definitely asking for trouble." Hades snapped back at the goddess in front of him. He doesn't care that he's twenty steps away from the goddess or that she tried to forestall his movements back then. Calling him uncouth is one thing, but a pig? Oh no! That is way beyond what Hades can tolerate for one night. He took one deliberate step and froze.

_What is this? I cannot move a limb at all! What is this?! What did this little goddess of Demeter do to me?! Wait! Those are Demeter's and that goddess is caring for the rose bushes like she owns those. She's too small to be Demeter. No. Too small. She must be Demeter's daughter._

"Persephone? Let this force field or something go away. Now." Hades said, trying to give the back of the little goddess' head a bore-some-holes look.

"That is not a force field! Pig! Life force! You expect me to remove that life force after what you did to the flowers? No way will I let you come near these babies again, you pig."

Now that's calling him 'pig' twice in just one full paragraph of retort. This brat is really asking for it.

"Life force but not a force field huh? Why, little brat, you just used the word 'force' into this hocus-pocus of yours. They sound one and the same for me."

"Don't call me a little brat!" The goddess snapped while continuously kneeling and crawling from one rose bush to another. Hades could see just the hint of a little ear and nothing else from the goddess' features.

"Don't call me a pig then."

"But you are a pig. Asking you to not take another step but instead you tried to be godly and make that one giant step of yours towards these babies. You deserved getting stuck in my life force. And it's different from force field, pig."

"I said don't call me pig. Now, let me go!" Hades bellowed. He hated that ugly little brat so much and that anger is killing him. He wanted to punish the insolence of such a young goddess, show her who is boss. He doesn't care that he's starting to think irrationally and childishly, all he wants right now is to show this goddess a lesson about respect she will never forget.

"No!" The young goddess, kneeling, whipped around her hair and look defiantly at Hades. And that's when Hades' world turned into a stop.

He could not believe it but he just found a creature right out of his deepest fantasy. The little brat he used to remember is now gone and was replaced by a very beautiful goddess in front of him. Little Persephone's innocent and watery hazel eyes are no longer there, instead, defiant, mad and strong willed hazel eyes of a full blown goddess are looking at him now. The pudgy little nose he remembers is no longer there either, it was replaced by a small dainty little nose that perfectly fits the heart shaped face of the goddess in front of him. The red sunburst hair he vaguely remembers is no longer there, instead, a wavy, auburn hair that could turn golden red once hit by the rays of the sun framed the beautiful face of Persephone. The color of her hair perfectly fits with the complexion of her skin, fair. He could say that this little goddess in front of him could perfectly rival Athena, Artemis and even Aphrodite's beauty.

_She's like the 'Spring' incarnate_.

"I heard that." Persephone said. Her voice sounded like silver bells for him. He couldn't believe that such a beautiful sound could come out of those luscious lips.

_Lips that one could not get tired of kissing._

"I heard that again, pig." Persephone's voice, full of defiance, snapped Hades' back to reality.

"What?"

"I said I heard that, you pig! You really are a rogue! You should be punished!" Persephone said, blushing furiously as she tries to stand. She was about to take another step when she stopped. One look at her, Hades' knows his words affected her in ways she could not understand. The little goddess is blushing furiously.

"You dare call me a pig, a rogue and you are trying to threaten me. Why? What could you do? You are blushing by the way."

"I am not blushing! I am furious!" Persephone's seething with anger. She's really furious, he could see that. But there is something else. Looking at the goddess, he tried to smile insolently.

"Nah! You are not furious. You are annoyed, yes. But furious? Definitely not."

"You! Who do you think you are?! Acting so high and mighty!"

"And who do you think you are? Threatening me? Calling me a pig? Isn't that an act of 'high and mighty', your goddess?"

"You mock me!"

"Oh no! No! I do not mock. How can I make fun of a beautiful goddess like you?" Hades said in a tone of pure, unconstrained, and uncontrollable lust.

Persephone must have heard the tone and stepped back.

"Don't come near me or . . ."

"Or what my little goddess?" Hades whispered.

"Or I'll knock you out with my life force." Persephone's voice is weakening.

_Am I scaring her?_

"How can I come near you when you are blocking me out? See? I cannot even – " Hades paused when he could feel that he could move now. The life force of the little goddess is still there but it has weakened. It is still there but weak enough for him to move out of the life force and walk towards Persephone.

"No . . . please" Persephone whispered. He stopped midway and looked at the goddess and that is when he noticed that the goddess is shaking and she looks like she's getting weaker. Spent.

"Are you fine?" Hades softly said.

"I tried to bring the roses back to its beauty and life and the power I put forth in doing that just made me feel so weak and add the fact that I have been holding a rogue god like you at bay. It just took all my strength away. I guess I am not strong enough to divide my powers to many tasks at once. I still need more practice."

"Can you stand?" Hades asked, offering his hands which Persephone slapped away.

"This is your entire fault! If you haven't blasted these rose bushes to smithereens then I would not be compelled to fix them. Now! I couldn't even make another step! How can I last for the entire ceremony if I feel weak?"

"Let me carry you."

"No thanks. I think I can find my way through the main hall just in time for the ceremony and –" and as Persephone tried to make another step, she fell down. Hades was just in time to catch her when they started hearing voices, looking for the little goddess in his arms. And as the voices are starting to get nearer, Persephone's hazel eyes looked at him.

"Who are you by the way, pig?" She asked in a tired voice.

"I am not a pig." Hades whispered and added, "I have a name, and the name is –"

"Hades! Thank the fates you found my daughter!"

Looking at the little goddess in his arms, he could definitely see that she's in shock. The god she had been calling a pig the whole time is no other than Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, himself.

_It looks like this gathering will be one hell of a party after all_.


	2. A Dream A fight A boat ride A lesson

**Chapter 2: A Dream. A fight. A boat ride. A lesson.**

"What happened to her?! My child! Oh Hades! I thank the fates for letting you see her! She could have bruised herself if you haven't been there or . . . I don't know but thank you!" Demeter said while lovingly and chidingly looking at the little goddess in Hades' arms.

"She exhausted herself." Hades told Demeter while he carried the goddess in his arms.

"Exhausted? But why?" Demeter asked Hades.

Looking around at the faces of his siblings and other nieces and nephews, he tried to keep his voice clear of any guilt although that same guilt is boiling within him.

"The flowers . . . your flowers Demeter. The rose bushes, they were hit by me in my uncontrollable temper and this little goddess had seen me lash at the rose bushes." Hades said while passing the little unconscious goddess to Poseidon.

"My rose bushes?" Demeter asked, looking at the said flower, the goddess frowned, "But they are fine Hades."

"Now, that's where the part where Persephone comes in. She revived them while keeping me at bay by means of placing a force field between us."

"You mean a 'life force' uncle, not force field, right?" Artemis corrected him.

"Yes, I remembered her calling the force field in that way, though I don't see the difference." Hades answered back.

"Oh no uncle, there's a difference between what she uses and what we usually use." Artemis answered back with a little edge on her voice, a bite Hades couldn't surely miss.

"Now, Artemis I -" Hades said when Hestia intercepted his retort.

"I guess a sip of nectar and ambrosia will do her good. What do you say Demeter?" Hestia asked their sister. Hestia is always keen and very observant. She values Olympus. Being the goddess of the hearth, she could always make anyone of them calm and warm. Seeing his sister makes Hades feel light at heart and calm after the day's event. Too bad, she could have been the perfect wife for Zeus or even Poseidon.

As the gods and goddesses slowly go back to the main hall with Persephone being carried by Poseidon now, Hades made a move to follow them when he heard Artemis calling him.

"Uncle Hades."

Looking at where the voice is coming from, Hades tried to school his features, betraying nothing in front of his boyish yet feminine and niece, the goddess of the hunt - Artemis.

"What is it?"

The goddess of the hunt look at him with eyes as gray as Athena's but hers have nothing of the warmth Athena's sometimes cold gray eyes have. Artemis' gray eyes are as cold as sharp daggers shining at night. They hold no warmth for her uncle Hades.

"Stay away from her." Artemis said in a cold voice.

"And why is that?" Hades asked.

"I know you too well. You will crush her spirit. We both know that for a fact."

"Where's the proof of that Artemis?"

"You are Hades, Lord of the Underworld. That should be proof enough. Stay away from her or you will regret it."

"I will." Hades answered.

"I doubt that." Artemis said before leaving Hades in the coldness of that part of Demeter's garden devoid of the warmth and light of Hestia's numerous hearths in Olympus.

"Me too Artemis. Me too." Hades whispered in the night, while clutching the front of his robes where his heart should be located.

* * *

Persephone is walking along a long hallway made of obsidian gems. She touched one blackened wall and her hunch was confirmed - made of obsidian gems. She does not understand it, but aside from giving life to nature itself, she found out that she has an affinity with gems. She knows what they are with just a look or a touch. The walls lining the hallways are made out of obsidian gems, the blackest of the volcanic rocks there is.

"The owner of this hallway must be a very rich man." Persephone told herself. As she walked on she noticed that the hallway would make a twist, a turn but it seems like it just goes on and on and on. It seems like it does not end.

"Where am I?" Persephone asked, worry starting to creep into her system.

_Dream._

"What was that?!" Persephone asked herself. She stopped in her tracks and strained her ears to hear. She had been concentrating on the sound but no voice answered her.

"I must have hit the floor when I fell." Persephone told herself. Now where did that thought come from? When did she fall?

_Dream._

"Who is that?!" Persephone asked. She is sure now, she heard an old woman's voice somewhere, telling her that she's dreaming. Well, not dreaming really, more of like saying 'dream' again and again.

Touching the wall on her right, she paused. She was sure that the wall was obsidian, now it turned emerald? It's too dark to determine the difference between an obsidian from an emerald, but she was quiet sure it changed. The wall changed from obsidian to emerald.

"Now that is weird." Persephone whispered to herself.

_Not weird. Dream. Wake. Dream. Wake. Man. God. Love. Fates. Dream. Wake._

"Whoa! Wait! What?" Persephone asked, she tries to derive some meaning from what she's hearing, but it doesn't make any sense at all. Even the wall is playing tricks on her, one moment it was obsidian, then an emerald, and now she can feel that it's ruby red. She has an affinity to gems. Affinity? Now where did that idea come from? She can never know one gem from another. She hates them, she prefers flowers, garlands, nature.

_Dream._

Dream? She's dreaming? That's impossible. Deities don't dream, only mortals dream.

_And gods of the Underworld. Dreams. Wake. Goddess of Olympus. Wake. Love. Face. Fates. Hades. Spring._

"Agh! Enough!"

_Spring. Hades. North Wind. Demeter. Spring._

"Stop!"

_Be gone. Hades. Spring._

_Death._

_Sadness._

_Persephone._

_Persephone._

"Persephone! Can you hear me?"

"Stop!" Persephone shouted, wide-eyed. Looking around her, she could see a huge hall with a huge hearth at the middle and huge columns made of white marbles. It had been a dream, her first dream. No! Deities don't dream, they visit mortals in their dream but they don't dream. No deity dreams, except those in the underworld. Hades!

"Hades!" Persephone shouted; more of squeaked out the name. She could barely remember the dream but she's sure that the Lord of the Underworld is the reason for such an unusual happening to her.

"Yes?" She heard a soft, deep voice of a man from her left. Funny, she knows its Hades'. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself for what she would see.

Readying herself made nothing but prevent her stomach - or was it her heart? - from doing three huge somersaults, just two this time. But then again, no one could really avoid that somersault. Maybe Athena and Artemis can - and Hestia - but no one else could prevent a somersault from happening if they see Hades.

Hades was far from what the stories she heard from her cousins and half siblings. Well, they told her that he is the Lord of the Underworld, and then she jumped into conclusions that he is ugly, evil, and deathly in appearance. Yes, they never told her that he is ugly but then again, _being_ Lord of the Underworld, no way can he be downright gorgeous.

_I'm wrong._

Hades is everything she had never dreamed the Lord of the Underworld could be. He has straight hair as black as the obsidian gems in her dreams that turn to curls when they touch his nape and ears. His face framed by his black hair is angular and very manly - smooth too. His black eyebrows is not bushy but thick and fine. His eyebrows go well with his deep-set eyes, the color of emeralds. His nose is not too strong or too bold, just right for his face. And his lips, just right for smiling and kissing. His complexion is white, just like Athena and Artemis - but somehow pale looking. But she doesn't hate it. His complexion had made his lips look so red and very much alive. And when he caught her just before she hit the floor, Persephone knows that he has a very perfect Grecian body - perfect and very Olympian.

"Persephone? Are you alright?" That is Demeter's voice. Hearing her mother, Persephone willed herself to concentrate.

"Mother." Persephone said.

"Why do you look for Hades?" Demeter asked her, looking at her then at Hades with a worried expression.

"Did you have dreams? Did you dream just now?" Hades asked her kneeling at the bed made of cloud and something else - air perhaps - where she was placed when she lost consciousness.

"How did you know?" Persephone asked in bewilderment. She heard a hissing noise - that could only be Artemis - and gasps from almost everyone.

"I assumed that much. I caught you before you hit the floor and I was so worried that you must have exhausted yourself, maybe some of my powers surged through you, making you dream. Besides, you are moaning. A nightmare? My apologies. It was an accident."

"You did it on purpose." Artemis snapped.

"I did not. Everything happened so fast, I was afraid I could not catch you in time, I . . ."

"You what Hades?" Demeter asked in a worried voice.

"I accidentally touched you with my power, making you dream." Hades said in a soft voice as if he's afraid to let anyone hear.

"You what?!" A booming voice thundered somewhere.

"Brother." Hades said. Standing up and giving a salute to the Lord of All - Zeus, her father.

"You touched Persephone with your power?"

"It was an accident, brother. Like what I said, she was about to hit the floor and I'm afraid I couldn't reach her in time. I have to do something or risked injuring her." Looking at her, to Persephone, it seems like he's going to add something else when suddenly Hades was thrown from one of the corners of the hall with such force that the entire hall shook and the columns tremble.

"Brother." Hestia said to Zeus, reaching out to the youngest of the Oldest Olympian Gods.

"Silence!" Zeus snapped at Hestia.

"Brother." Poseidon said, placing a hand in Zeus' shoulder, "It is not right to lash out in anger at Hades, he protected Persephone. He caught her in mid-fall. We should listen to Hades."

"How dare you touch Persephone?! You could have -"

"What brother? I could have what? Hurt her? Cursed her? You make it sound like I carry a vileness within me that could infect all of you here! Coward." Hades said in unconstrained anger. Persephone could tell that the Lord of the Underworld is about to lash out his anger at everyone gathered that night - from the silent Hera, Queen of the Olympians, down to Iris, the goddess of Messengers, Hera's messenger.

"You do not speak such abomination!" Ares, her good for nothing half-brother said.

"I will speak the way I want and whenever I want godling!" Hades spat at Ares. It seems like the Lord of the Underworld is really mad now.

"Silence!" Zeus thundered.

"No! You keep silent brother. I tire of these silly games you all play! Why invite me in when you plan to keep me an outcast? You value family? No! You value nothing but yourself! I regretted being connected to anyone of you and I -"

Another powerful slam that shook the very foundations of Olympus was given to Hades by Zeus, cutting his words.

"I don't want to hear anything from you. Do you hear me?!"

"And I don't want to be here anymore the same way you don't want to see me." Hades answered back. "Release me, now."

"How dare you order me?" Zeus whispered.

"No, brother! How dare you hurt me when I did nothing to deserve this! Now release me or you will regret it." Hades answered, his eyes burning with green fire, the color of emeralds.

No one moved, not even Zeus. It seems like Zeus just pushed Hades and pinned the god into the column more. A wince from the Lord of the Underworld confirmed that. Persephone couldn't do anything to stop the foolishness in front of her. It seems like the power surging between the two brothers kept them all at bay.

And then it happened in a flash. One moment Hades was pinned to one of the columns and then suddenly Zeus was slammed into the opposite wall and Hades freed, walking leisurely towards his youngest brother.

"I told you to let go of me right? Why do you have to be so stubborn baby brother?" Hades whispered. Persephone is sure the god just whispered but his voice seems to carry on to everyone.

"Now look at you. I don't want to hurt you or even shame you in front of everybody but you were asking for it. Zeus, you are Lord of All. No point flaunting it."

Looking around, Hades caught Persephone's eyes and she couldn't help but feel scared of the god.

"I am sorry for the rose bushes. It is my fault little goddess. If I haven't lashed out in anger at the bushes, you wouldn't be compelled to heal them then you wouldn't lose consciousness and you wouldn't be 'tainted' by me and you wouldn't dream. I hope and I pray that you will forgive me. Forgive me for destroying a night that could have become as beautiful as you. As for the dreams, they will tell you about it, and if their answers do not satisfy you . . . ask me. Good bye."

And with a slash of his cloak, the Lord of the Underworld is gone.

_And I can't believe I have the gall to call him a pig._

* * *

How foolish of him to lash out at his younger brother in that way! Hades is still seething with anger; he wanted to throw Zeus from Olympus down into the endless abyss of Tartarus! He wants to tear that mighty god of Olympus to shreds and make him feel Hades' wrath.

"A very dangerous thought, my Lord." A voice said from the shadows of the huge boulders lining some of the edges of the River Styx.

"Charon." Hades said to no one in particular.

He heard movements, steps and the rustling of robes as Charon – the Underworld's Ferryman and General of his kingdom in times of war – jumped from one of the huge boulders, right in front of him.

"Aren't you such a show off Charon?" Hades snapped.

"I am so sorry my Lord. It's just that I want to make myself remember that I am as robust as any other god. It seems like mortals are enjoying the fact that I am an old man. Thinking of it makes my knees wobble just like an old man!"

"You know who you are Charon and no mortal can tell you otherwise. No one, not even the gods and goddesses." Hades said.

"You seem to be in such a bad mood my Lord. Trouble in Olympus?"

"More than trouble Charon. I think I just started a war between me and the Olympians."

"Aren't you an Olympian my Lord?"

"Well, if I am one, I can't feel it. How much for a ride?" Hades asked.

"Two gold drachmas, my Lord." Charon said, walking towards his huge boat, he put his hood up.

Fishing for Two gold drachmas, Hades gave Charon what he asked for when Charon winced.

"My Lord, it was a jest. You are the Lord of the Underworld; you don't need to pay for the ride."

"I insist."

"Oh no my Lord."

"Do you give favors to mortals without the drachmas? Do you let them take the ride even without their two gold drachmas? Have you ever tried to break the universal rule for those who die?" Hades asked.

"No my Lord, the rules are the rules and they should be followed at all cost."

"Therefore, take the drachmas."

"But you are the Lord of the Underworld and –"

"And the more we should set an example, right? We should never be above the law we make. If we are, then there is no law. Now, are you taking these drachmas or should I go back to the upper world and enter my realm in the usual way? It'll be better if you deny me passage than let me get a free ride."

"By all means, my Lord. Let me have the two gold drachmas." Charon took the two gold drachmas from Hades' and went straight to the boat. Looking at the souls waiting at the top near the entrance, he added, "Do you want me to take some souls as well with you my Lord or do you want me to give you a single ride with no lost souls for companions?"

"I'd rather have the ride alone with my general, Charon."

"Well, hop in my Lord."

Hades walked towards the boat and took a seat nearest to where Charon was standing – right at the boat's masthead, an obsidian eagle of a masthead – and he just found himself smiling.

"Find anything to smile about my Lord?"

"I just noticed you don't have any oar to direct the boat. It seems like the River Styx bends to your will."

"Mortals and their stories."

"Right on that one."

"Poseidon doesn't have any power on the River Styx, I do." Charon said.

"It is the River of the dead; he is god of the living creatures up there." Hades said, looking up at the ceiling and right into the upper world.

"And they don't have powers here, your brothers and sisters my Lord."

"I know."

"If you don't mind me asking my Lord, what happened at the gathering?"

"Agh! It was a disaster."

"You said something about a war coming up."

"No. I don't think war will start at all."

"But you just said that there's a war coming up my Lord."

"A different war." Hades whispered.

"Do you want to tell me my Lord?"

Hades remained silent for a very long while and they were almost at the middle of the entire length before he told what happened when he was in Olympus, from his meeting with Athena down to what he did to Zeus, flinging the Lord of All into one of the walls of the main hall. He did not tell Charon about how Persephone affected his entire being. Unconsumed lust is something a noble man does not flaunt to anybody willing to listen.

"A deity was enveloped with a dream? Why better ask Morpheus of that my Lord. He is the Lord of Dreams. How could a deity dream that? Are you sure that a power surge through you reaching out for her? It seems so unusual of you to reach out with your power my Lord."

"There goes another problem Charon." Hades whispered, covering his face with his hands as if he's trying to wash himself away.

"Tell me more, my Lord."

"It seems like my presence alone could bring such mortal inflictions to anyone within twenty feet." Hades said behind his hands.

"It is too early to think of it that way. Maybe it's just the goddess Persephone. We have to wait before we make conclusions that you have such an effect to everyone."

"What if I have?"

"Then we will find the reason to why it's happening."

"No. I don't want to bother you or anyone of my family here about that little incident."

"But it bothers you my Lord. The Olympians . . ."

"The Olympians consider me as someone carrying that vileness of Kronos. They consider me a curse to their perfect family."

"Every deity has his or her negative side my Lord. The mortals – like what you told me – are living proofs of that. They mirror the good things in us and the bad as well – from love to infidelity. Why do you have to let those insults creep into your system?"

"Because I can only take that much Charon." Hades answered. He could not tell Charon the fear he saw in Persephone's eyes. He could not tell Charon how he sensed the panic in the Olympians when they saw the little goddess in his arms. He could not exactly tell Charon what it felt like when Zeus slammed him into those columns like a ragged doll. He could not tell Charon how it hurt his pride. He could not tell it to his general. He cannot show weakness.

They had reached the other end of the River Styx and it is time that Hades walks from there on. Saying a simple 'thank you' and turning his back to Charon, he went straight to his private quarters. He could hear the creaking sound made by Charon's boat as it floated along the entire length of the River Styx back to the lost souls near the entrance of his kingdom. He shook his head. His anger had gotten the better of him. He shouldn't have lashed at Zeus, no matter that he is mad; he shouldn't have let his anger get the better of him. It is just so wrong.

_And yet it felt good._

"No. It doesn't matter that it felt good. It is just plain wrong. He is the Lord of All. He deserves reverence."

_Ah! But you deserve respect too. You are also a Lord and respect is something you should have earned from the Olympians since the beginning of time. Poseidon is right. Zeus fears you._

"He fears for his daughter's welfare. Being near me, Persephone could be tainted. I don't want that to happen."

_He fears more for himself than for his daughter._

"No. Zeus is a very insecure and prideful god, but he is not selfish or self-centered."

_Isn't what he did to you a sign of selfishness? He kept you here in the Underworld out of fear of what you can do and now he fears you more because instead of turning weaker and weaker, you became more powerful than you were two thousand years ago. Poseidon is right; the Olympians have their reasons to fear you._

"Enough! No more mind games Hecate." Hades said in the dark hallway.

"I am so sorry, my Lord." A woman's voice said again along the shadows of his main palace's huge obsidian columns.

"You seem to be updated. Right, Hecate?" Hades asked, while slowly pulling up the left sleeve of his robes and extending his hand, opening his fingers wide and slamming it to one of the obsidian walls lined with emeralds and rubies. As soon as his hand touched the wall, it started to tremble and a low groaning sound like boulders being pushed out of the way could be heard. After a few seconds, the wall shows an opening to a wide library with its topaz-floored and enchanted ceiling dotted with constellations that give off a golden light into the entire library giving the room a warm and welcoming feeling to it.

"I cannot help it my Lord." Hecate from the shadows answered.

"I know. Come." Hades said as he entered his library filled with scrolls. He took the biggest chair – red with gold linings. As soon as he was settled, he offered one of the many comfortable chairs to Hecate as well.

"Thank you my Lord." Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, ghosts and of crossroads, said.

"It seems like I cannot keep secrets from you." Hades whispered, grabbing one of the blank scrolls, a quilt and an ink.

"No deity can. As you know, I am the goddess of the crossroads and not just 'crossroads', I am also present at the most important turning points of both deities and mortals' lives." Hecate gave Hades her warmest smile. If he hadn't known that Hecate is somehow connected to Thanatos, he would start thinking that his virgin goddess is very much attracted to him. But then again, there's Thanatos. They are always bickering and it drives him nuts to hear their arguments.

"Stop thinking that way my Lord." Hecate said in clipped tones. Thanatos is a very nasty subject for the goddess, very nasty indeed.

"Sorry. Thanatos just crossed my mind." Hades said, trying really hard not to laugh.

"I wonder why." Hecate sarcastically answered.

"Anyway, Thanatos is the least of my problems." Hades said in a voice that clearly said '_He is your problem Hecate_'.

Hecate's right eyebrow arched in defiance and she gave Hades a look that says _I know what you are driving at. Don't you dare say it out loud or else._

"What can you say about what happened." Hades said in a serious voice.

"You should ask Morpheus' advice. Charon's right, it is too early to say that you caused the goddess Persephone to dream." Hecate said in a very matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"Could it be that I was too strong for her at that moment?"

"What do you mean my Lord?"

"I mean, she used her powers to heal the rose bushes of Demeter and she used her force field on me. She said something about getting tired and powers draining from her."

"What she used is a 'life force' my Lord, not a force field." Hecate told Hades in a very patient voice. Her tone made Hades think of a teacher patiently teaching her student the Egyptian's mathematics.

"Everyone is telling me that. What is the difference?"

"A lot." Hecate answered.

"Enlighten me. Being the goddess of magic, you should tell me that."

"We – the deities – Gaia, Ouranos, and even the Titans usually use force fields. We direct and derive our powers in our surroundings. If we are near the main source of our powers we become stronger. That is why Gaia is strongest when she's on earth; Poseidon, when he's on his domain – the sea; and Zeus, when he's on Olympus or the sky."

"And I am at my strongest when I am here at the Underworld." Hades whispered.

"No my Lord. Death is everywhere; Thanatos – the Death incarnate – is at his strongest everywhere. Imagine him as a strong god too and then magnify it a hundred fold and that is how strong you are . . . since you are Lord of the Underworld, you are also the Lord of the Dead – Thanatos' own Lord, patron if possible. Therefore we can say that you are at your strongest wherever you go."

"What?"

"And that is why Zeus is scared. He doesn't know that his brother is not as evil as he thinks you are. An ugly notion, and very hurtful, but you will manage. I know you will my Lord."

"I don't need it at all; the power could just rot in the Underworld for all I care."

"I know it won't corrupt you. You made a wise choice for that, eons ago, when the Olympians are fighting for dominion over everything. You could have easily thrown them down and became Lord of All but you didn't. You decided to be where a deity could be closest to mortals – the Underworld. Your decision to yield and stay here had made all the difference."

"Zeus doesn't know that."

"Of course he doesn't. No other deity knows how close mortals are to you when death is nearing. They pray, they plead, and they call on you. They may utter their patron's name but deep within their very souls, it is you they are calling for."

"I know."

"Now do you understand what force field is?" Hecate asked him.

"Yes. I do."

"Then let me tell you about this 'life force' power that Persephone has. You see, force field is derived from around us. The nature perfected our power. It is being added up to our very essence making our powers . . . well, powerful than usual. Life force is its complete opposite."

"What do you mean?"

"Life force is a very uncommon gift. I could say that she is the only one who uses it, for she is the only one who _can_ use it. She is the goddess of the spring. Life on earth begins with spring. Flowers bloom, trees give off fruits, the earth is being showered with life whenever spring comes. Therefore, as the goddess of the spring, Persephone was given the gift of utilizing life force."

"Which is?"

"She derives power from within her essence after which she put it into her surroundings . . . empowering them."

"Perfecting them." Hades said, wide-eyed.

"Precisely."

"We use nature and the surroundings to our advantage while nature uses her to its own advantage and hers as well."

"Yes. That is why the air held you in place, no matter that you derive power from the air, at that moment air is stronger than you are because it was utilizing the goddess at its advantage to protect the flowers from you the way Persephone wants it to be protected."

"But if this 'life force' is being derived from her essence then . . . "

"I know you understand. Yes, it wore her down. It drains her energy, her essence. It made her feel weaker. Any resistance from the outside could cause an increase demand in the deity's essence; that is why when you started to move and fight the air keeping you in place, her essence is slowly being drained. She is new to that power that much I know. In time she will be able to utilize it to her advantage. And maybe, that is one of the reason why she became so vulnerable to your power."

"Can't she use nature instead of that life force thing?"

"She's the goddess of the spring. Spring is life. A force field takes a portion of nature's life away and that is not Persephone's nature." Hecate said in a soft voice while angling her head sideways. She directed a very thoughtful look at Hades.

"She gives life. She doesn't take it away." Hades whispered.

"You will perfectly complement each other."

"What?" Hades was shocked at what he heard.

"You are the Lord of the Underworld and the Lord of the Dead. She on the other hand is a goddess of the upper world and the Lady of the Spring. You complement each other. You are like two sides of a coin. Besides, my visions and observations tell me that you will look good together." Hecate said in a very happy voice.

"Meaning?" Hades asked.

"She will be a very good wife for you my Lord." Hecate said, smiling widely and eagerly this time.

"You may go now Hecate. And no arguments."

"But my Lord . . . "

"Go." Hades said. He directed his thoughts to the parchment, quill and ink and started scribbling some random stuff just to make him look busy. He heard a sigh and rustling of clothes, cloaks and robes, a groaning sound and then stones locking to stone and then silence.

"Life force. Persephone, you are one goddess that is so full of surprises."

At that moment, a smiled played on Hades' lips and he admitted to himself that he is irrevocably attracted to the young goddess.

_A wife? We'll see about that. We will see._


	3. Black Feathers and a Silver Arrow

**Chapter 3: Black Feathers and a Silver Arrow**

It's been weeks since the incident happened. She's now formally a deity of something! Thank goodness! Persephone looked at the ceiling of her room – clouds are drifting from the huge glass enclosing her room at the moment. It seems like Apollo and Helios are in good moods right now. Heaving a sigh, Persephone placed herself in a lateral position facing her bed's side table. Fresh flowers are placed in her favorite Grecian vase made by one of the best craftsmen of Athens.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Persephone asked herself. Her eyes left the vase and traveled throughout the entire room when she noticed something. A little scroll was placed beside her pitcher of water. Now, who would be doing that?

"It must be mother and her reminders again." Persephone groaned, turning around and burying her face in her pillows and blanket. Her mother cannot seem to let go of her motherly affections to Persephone. Demeter doesn't seem to care that her daughter is no longer a little child but a deity of her own might and power now. These thoughts are running through her head when she remembered that her mother had given all the reminders she needs to remember for the entire month. Demeter is off to help the people of their harvests and their agriculture and that she'll be gone for six weeks at the most. She wouldn't be leaving messages like that. No, Iris and Hermes are there to constantly remind her of her duties as the new goddess of the Spring season.

"If mother won't be leaving me scrolls like that, then who will be doing such a thing?" Persephone asked herself. Frowning and trying to guess who would be leaving such messages to her, she buried her face in pillows and groaned. It would have been easier to move out of her bed, grab the scroll, open and read it instead of guessing what the untouched scroll could possibly contain but then again, Persephone is too lazy to move at the moment. The day is so perfect that it would be so nice to just stay in bed and enjoy the moment, no matter that she promised Artemis and Athena she would be meeting them somewhere.

"Oh Fates!" Persephone suddenly groaned. She almost forgot that she made that promise. Pulling herself out of her own bed, she rushed towards her huge mirror and concentrated. Slowly, her features begin to fix themselves. After a few seconds more, she no longer looked like a woman who seems to be playing under the bushes like a little child. Why, she looks perfect, fresh.

"As fresh as Spring could possibly be." Persephone whispered to herself and smile.

She was almost out of her room when she tries to remember what Artemis told her last night. Now, where will they meet again?

_"Artemis, where will we go tomorrow?" Persephone asked the goddess of the Hunt._

_"Somewhere nice and peaceful. Just the three of us. Athena, you and I." Artemis answered without looking at Persephone. As usual, the goddess of the Hunt is busy cleaning and empowering her bow – silver this time – and arrows._

_"No clues as to where we will meet?"_

_"You will receive a message from me, tomorrow, before you go. All right?" Artemis said._

_"You really won't be telling me where we will meet?" Persephone asked again._

_Artemis smiled, placed her finished arrows neatly in one row and with a flick of her fingers, vanished into thin air. Persephone smiled, she knows those arrows are now under Artemis' beck and call. Every time the goddess will need those arrows, all she has to do is think of those and voila, an arrow will just appear out of thin air._

_"You can really be insufferable, aren't you Persephone?" Artemis' cold gray eyes looked at her._

_"Messages you say. Early morning. Right on that one." Persephone smiled._

_Shaking her head, Artemis shoulders started to shake, and after a few more seconds, laughter could be heard in the garden of Artemis' room._

"Message." Persephone told herself. Eyes, widening, she looked at the scroll near her pitcher of water. Rushing to it, she immediately untied the rope keeping it in place and read:

_Good morning Goddess of the Spring_

_Today, we will be doing something_

_Hunting, playing and talking_

_By the power of Three_

_We will make miracles; Athena, you and me_

_Come to the meadow_

_Where wild things grow_

_Where we spent our childhood_

_The place where the huntress loves to brood_

_Right at the big boulder_

_Where we play hide and seek when we're younger_

_We'll tell you stories_

_Underneath those big oak trees_

_So try not to be late_

_Remember, we have a date_

_Lovingly yours,_

_Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt_

Smiling, Persephone put the little scroll into her belt pouch, walks out of her room and was about to take the spiral staircase down to Olympus' main transportation area when she heard shuffling of feet and some rustling of robes. Looking at where the sound is coming from, she stopped mid-way and bowed her head. The Queen of Olympus – Hera – in all her splendor and beauty walked ahead of her without even greeting her. Failure to notice her and acting as if the Queen did not see her was a good sign for Persephone. If Hera fails to notice her then Persephone can just act as if the Queen does not exist at all. Any exchange of words could only lead to petty fights or even arguments too. It seems like this is really going to be a good day. Walking straight to where the transportation area is, Persephone was about to vanish into thin air when she heard someone calling her and from the sound of it, it is Zeus, the Lord of Olympus himself.

"Father." Persephone said, bowing her head graciously as a sign of respect.

"And where are you going?" Zeus asked. It seems like the Lord of All is on his way somewhere.

"I am going to the meadow five miles west of Mount Olympus father. I am meeting with Artemis and Athena."

"Bring Hermes with you. Let him guard you until you are with Artemis and Athena."

"Hermes? But father, I can manage now on my own."

"No. I don't want you to exert too much effort in protecting yourself. Hermes can provide every protection you need until you are with your sisters."

"Where are you going father?" Persephone asked. It seems like her father won't be allowing her to go anywhere without Hermes watching her every move.

"I am going to the mortal world." Zeus answered quietly.

One look at her father, Persephone knows that Zeus is having an illicit affair with one of the mortal women again. And one look at her father, she knows that he is trying to keep it as a secret from Hera. Persephone gave her father a look that says 'I Know what you are really going to do down there. Don't make me tell Hera'. It seems like Zeus understood what her look is trying to tell him. Sighing, his father tried to appease her.

"All right, I know what that look of yours means Persephone." Zeus whispered to her while his eyes are darting from every corner of the transportation area, "I would really appreciate it if you'll keep your lips sealed about this matter."

"I would love to tolerate you father but in one condition." Persephone said softly.

"What? Fine but I cannot gamble your safety; anything but that."

"I don't want to see Hermes following or watching me as I go to the meadow father."

"Didn't I just tell you that –"

"I know father. I am not asking you to remove Hermes' protection, what I want you to do is to not make it look like Hermes is a pet dog or even a lover walking to the meadow with me. He should keep a safe distance, maybe a hundred feet to two hundred?"

"And why is that?"

"I don't want others to get the wrong idea father. If you know what I mean." Persephone answered, giving her father a playful and childish wink she knows Zeus loves.

"All right, all right, you may have your wish. Hermes!" Zeus shouted Messenger of the gods' name and thunder could be heard around Olympus. A few seconds more and Hermes is at her side, smiling mischievously.

"Yes Zeus?"

"I have a job for you." Zeus said.

"Of course, you always have a job for me father." Hermes answered.

"Don't be too smart on me young god."

"I didn't mean any offense father."

"None taken Hermes." Persephone answered quickly. If the conversation could end now it would do Persephone a lot of good. She's already running late.

"Thank you Persephone." Hermes answered, giving her a very warm smile that annoys her.

"I want you to guard Persephone until she reaches the meadow where Artemis and Athena are waiting. And try to keep a hundred and fifty feet distance from her."

"A hundred and fifty feet? But father, isn't that a little bit too far?" Hermes asked with a frown.

"It is near enough." Persephone snapped.

"No need to snap at me Persephone. I am just checking."

"Silence! I'll be going now." Zeus answered. Grabbing a fistful of his robes, he started walking to somewhere far from them and after a few seconds, lightning hit him and he was gone.

"I guess that hurts." Hermes whispered.

"Me too." Persephone said, wincing at the thought.

"So, where are we headed?" Hermes said, putting an arm around her waist and giving her a mischievous smile.

"The meadows." Persephone said, giving the young god an annoying smile.

"And what are we going to do there?" Hermes whispered to her ear.

"Oh. We'll be burying you alive, six feet below ground – me, Artemis and Athena – if you don't start removing your arms in my waist and if you won't start keeping that hundred and fifty feet distance our father ordered you to keep." Persephone said, twisting Hermes' wrist every two words.

"Ouch! Too nasty." Hermes said frowning openly at her while grabbing his own wrist and massaging it. She doesn't look like it but Persephone had this iron grip she learned from Artemis and Athena themselves.

"Lead the way." Hermes graciously and sarcastically said to Persephone. Whatever smile and courtesy he plans on giving Persephone is now gone. Persephone doesn't care. She plans to be an eternal virgin like her two sisters. No man will ever be able to snare her heart – _no man._

* * *

The meadow five miles west of Mount Olympus is deadly quiet. No sign of life could be seen except for the trees and grass and flowers that have been part of that place since the beginning of time. Artemis is sitting on top of a huge boulder while busily sharpening the head of her arrows and pricking her fingers to test each of the arrowheads' sharpness. She frowns every time she needs to apply more pressure than necessary in order for her to see _ichor_ from her wound. Artemis spares her tall sister, Athena, a glance from time to time and each time she does she cannot help but roll her eyes. Athena had been pacing in front of her since the moment they arrived there. One look at Athena and she could tell that the goddess is on her guard again. Athena had always been too wise for her own sake. No matter what Artemis say, the goddess of wisdom will not let her guard down whenever they are in the mortal world. Athena thinks that when they are in the mortal world the deities are at their weakest. It doesn't make any sense for Artemis. She had been running in the wild and hunting since she became the goddess of the hunt and she never saw anything that could harm a weak deity much more a powerful one like them.

"When do you plan to stop your pacing? You're making me nauseous Athena . . ." Artemis said while slowly balancing one of her arrows.

"This is not a good idea Artemis."

"And why is this not a _good idea_ Athena?" Artemis asked Athena while placing an arrow to her bow, pulling until she could feel the tension in her arms and shoulders building up and then after a single breath released it.

_SWOOOSH!_

"What?!" Athena span around with her spear ready at hand.

"I released an arrow. Testing if it's of the right weight, speed, sound, feel and –"

"Don't do that again!" Athena snapped at her.

"What's wrong with it? I just gave my arrow a test and uh . . . you know." Artemis said.

"It is unwise to waste good quality arrows. What is that for anyway? Putting good arrows to waste?"

Twirling her fingers in front of Athena and giving the goddess a smile made an elaborate movement of her hands and after a few seconds they could hear another _swooshing_ sound coming from the direction where her arrow went. One second Artemis is holding nothing and then suddenly, within the blink of an eye, her precious silver arrow is now on top of her hand.

"See? No wasted arrows." Artemis said to Athena, smiling.

"Whatever." Athena said, clearly going back to her relentless pacing and looking around the meadow.

"What is wrong with you Athena?" Artemis asked the goddess after tucking away her bow and arrows.

"This is not a good idea." Athena answered.

"So you told me. Why?"

"Because this is an open area and we could get easily ambushed."

"And you think your pacing prevents us from being ambushed?" Artemis asked, with eyebrows flying out of her forehead incredulously.

"No."

"Then stop pacing."

"I am thinking."

"Well, try thinking without pacing." Artemis answered.

"I can't."

"Oh really?" Artemis asked.

"Pacing clears my head."

"And you are making me nauseous." Artemis said, touching her temples while she said that and looking at Athena. When the goddess continued her pacing, Artemis extended her arms in surrender, stood, grabbed Athena by the shoulders and looked sternly in the goddess' eyes.

"Listen Athena, you are being paranoid. Stop being too stern with yourself, loosen up! We're going to be fine here with Persephone. And you said you are scared of getting ambushed? Do you think you're the only one watching the entire area? No! I am trying to be alert too and your constant movement will give us away and will prevent me from listening for any approaching intruders. This is my place, we are somewhere I am strongest, the wild. We will be safe. You are with me."

"I am just . . . I don't know."

"Do you want a piece of advice? Try to be the predator, not the prey."

Athena gave Artemis a meaningful look and took a deep breath before slowly loosening up her shoulders. When Artemis can no longer sense any tension from Athena, she let go of the goddess' shoulders.

"Now you are talking." Artemis said. Jumping so she could reach the top of the boulder, Artemis crouched low as soon as her feet touched the boulder. She doesn't want to alarm Athena but the goddess really has enough reason to pace and be nervous. Athena is not being paranoid; she's just new to the power of being the goddess of wisdom and strategies that's why she cannot determine the difference between paranoia and a shouting instinct. Artemis however is a different matter. She had been in the game for three years now and she can perfectly differentiate paranoia and her survival instincts. Her survival instinct is shouting _danger_ at the moment. That is one of the reasons why she let go of one of her silver arrows. Summoning that silver arrow, she sniffed it and uttered a curse. She could smell monsters from the direction where she released her arrow. Frowning, she sniffed the arrow again, the scent is faint; it makes Artemis think that whatever monster owns the smelly scent must be located somewhere south from where the boulder is located not east.

"As long as it's in the South, then we are safe." Artemis whispered to herself.

"What did you say?" Athena asked her.

"Nothing." Artemis said, smiling.

"Artemis . . ." Athena suddenly called her.

"Yes?" Artemis answered while secretly feeling the air for any irregularities.

"You are not a good liar." Athena answered while extending her right hand sideways and summoning her weapon – a spear made of a silver pole an inch thick with a mixture of titanium and platinum spearhead blessed by the Olympians themselves. _Deadly_.

"Oh. Am I?" Artemis said, smiling and at the same time summoning her weapons.

"How far?"

"About thirty-seven miles?" Artemis answered.

Athena looked at her then glanced at her bow and arrows. Smiling, Artemis made her huntress stance, readies her bow and arrow, pulls her arrow from her bow and aimed it south from where Olympus and her boulder is located.

"My arrows travel faster and farther than a mortal-made one. Hah! It is even faster than Nike." Artemis smiled.

"Aren't you a show off?" Athena said, hefting her spear in front of her in a battle stance spreading her feet for balance.

"I just hope Persephone is still sleeping. She'll be very much vulnerable." Artemis told Athena.

"Hey! She's with us. We're in the wild. We're safe." Athena said, smiling at Artemis.

"You're right. Besides, Hermes will be there to watch for her as she makes her way here."

"What?!" Athena asked, incredulity is very apparent in her voice, "You let that lecher be Persephone's guard?! Are you out of your mind?"

"Focus on the enemy, wherever it is." Artemis said in a cold voice. She could feel it coming nearer and nearer – _fast ._ Looking sideways at the worried face of Athena she added, "Hermes won't do anything off, he knows what I'd do to him if he does. Besides, Persephone is smart, she can call off any god who tries to have the better of her. Relax and focus . . . it's moving really fast, towards us, any minute now."

"Let's just pray you are right about Persephone and wrong about _it_." Athena said hefting her spear higher, cold gray eyes getting colder.

"Whatever, _It_ is coming." With those words of hers, Artemis let go of her arrow and fired.

* * *

Hermes could not really understand the goddesses of Olympus. He wanted to blame Zeus for the attitude the other goddesses have on the gods and even on mortal men. They tend to be aloof and stern at gods like Hermes. Even the eternally handsome and smart Apollo is having a difficult time courting one of the daughters of the River God Peneus – Daphne. Ares is the only one having an easy time with one goddess, Aphrodite. And in Hermes' opinion, hitting on someone else's wife is the lowest of low; even Zeus tries to avoid that. That pedophile of a god – Zeus, his own father – is not a very good model for the second generation of gods like him. It just feels so unfair for Hermes that three of the most beautiful goddesses of Olympus does not care or does not have any plans of marrying any one of them. Artemis and her influences on the two goddesses are too strong that Hermes and the other gods cannot find a way through it.

"Persephone!" Hermes shouted at the little goddess a hundred feet away from him. It seems like Persephone could not hear him or maybe the little goddess refuses to heed his call. Concentrating, he tries to reach out to Persephone's mind.

_Hey, Persephone. We are nearing the meadows now. You better wait up for me and we will enter the meadow together._

Persephone gave him a look of deep displeasure and continued on. Cursing to himself, Hermes quickened his steps and closed the gap from a hundred to fifty feet.

_Persephone, listen to me! Artemis wanted me to guide you into the meadow! Do not act as if you know things better than I do. I tolerated this crazy hundred and fifty feet distance idea of yours. Do not test my patience. Persephone! Wait for me! There's . . ._

Hermes stopped on his tracks and feel for the air. There is something wrong in the place; he just couldn't put his finger to it. No matter, it seems like Persephone is in grave danger. Bending his knees, readying his feet for running; after a few seconds he was beside Persephone. Grabbing the little goddess by the waist, clamping her mouth shut with his own hands, she carried Persephone in one of the tall oak trees a few yards away from the entrance of the meadow.

Persephone is looking at him wide-eyed and mad. He could hear his own heart beating and Persephone's ragged breath. He knows that the little goddess will kick him to the death once he let go of her that is why Hermes decided to keep his hold on the little goddess until he explained why he did what he just did.

"Listen Persephone" He whispered, "there is something wrong with the meadow. I don't know but I guess even Artemis anticipated that something wrong could happen, that is why she asked me to guide you until you reach the clearing. Even Zeus had thought the same too. I don't know why but I have a feeling that I should follow their orders. Didn't you feel the awful sensations that emanated from the meadow itself? Something is off there. I couldn't feel Artemis and Athena's essence there. Something ugly is trying to dominate both their divine essence. I want you to relax, trust me and keep calm. Can you do that?"

Hermes waited for Persephone to nod. It felt like waiting forever but after a few breaths the little goddess nodded. Hermes knows how trickery these goddesses are that is why he did not let go of his hold of Persephone still.

"Do you swear on the River Styx that you will not scream or run towards the meadow head long without waiting for my cue?"

Persephone nodded. Slowly, Hermes removed his hold on her and crouched low. He did a gesture that made Persephone follow suit. When they are crouching low, Hermes placed his index finger near his mouth as a sign that they should keep quiet. A few more gesture made the little goddess understand what Hermes means. He was about to take a little step when he heard Persephone speaking to his mind.

_What does this mean Hermes? I can feel sadness flowing out of the meadow. If something happened to Artemis and Athena . . ._

_Don't worry Persephone, if something evil is in there I'll carry you and fly you back to Olympus as fast as I can. No talking now. Things can feel and hear what we are doing here._

It feels like forever for Hermes, he moves from one oak tree to another, pausing long enough to catch his breath and to wait for Persephone. He is using all his faculties as one of the gods of Olympus to protect Persephone and to cover their tracks. He doesn't know what he will find out at the clearing and by the fates; he doesn't know if he can find a way to escape with Persephone. He doesn't even know if he can fend the evil off long enough for Persephone to run. Hell! He doesn't even know if Persephone will run. The little goddess has this knack of being a heroine when she feels like it and that could provide more threat than a solution. No, his best chance is to take a peek and then if they are in danger, carry Persephone back to Olympus and once she's safe Hermes will go back to the other two goddesses – _if they are still in there_ – to rescue them.

_Oh, the things I do for these stubborn goddesses_.

A pinch on his back made him winced and looked at Persephone. The little goddess gave him a look that clearly says _I heard that you idiot_. Frowning, he went back to moving towards the clearing. He was almost at the last oak tree when he stopped. His abrupt stop made Persephone stumble upon him resulting to sounds of twigs breaking and one look from the creatures in the meadow made him sure that everyone within a hundred miles had heard the noise. Three pairs of eyes looked at their direction almost at the same moment. He gave them his warmest smile and waved.

_What is he doing here?_

* * *

Now, what is this? He did not think that this place could be crowded with Olympians at the moment. He was chasing this wild and crazed lost soul before it could possess some mortal and the chase brought him in this meadow. One look around and he knows it is a meadow only the Olympians are allowed to enter. No matter, the chase brought him here and that silver arrow hit the mark very well. Hitting the soul's knee cap, shattering whatever is left of it made the soul howl in pain and it became wilder. But at least, the soul wouldn't be going anywhere else at the meantime.

Looking at the silver arrow in his hand, he smiled. He should have known that no mortal could make an arrow like this one – an arrow that could touch the dead – much more wield one. So, this is one of the silver arrows of the famous goddess of the hunt. Her aim is really true. He doesn't think that she hit the knee out of sheer luck or that she missed. No, she hit the knee to stop the soul from running swiftly towards their direction. She doesn't know what's charging towards them; all she knows is that she must slow it down. _She did slow my prisoner down_. But he hates it when deities hurt mortals, especially the lost souls like this one. Looking at the goddess of the hunt – _Artemis_ – he could say that she is beautiful. And the one beside her could possibly be Athena, the goddess of wisdom, beautiful too.

"I believe this arrow is yours?" He asked Artemis who is looking at him with cold gray eyes.

The goddess nodded but didn't make any move to get it from him. Smiling he took a step forward, towards the two goddesses when he heard movements; twigs breaking. Looking at the direction where the sound came, he smiled.

"Oh! We have company." He smiled looking at the winged sandals of the god and a very little goddess with auburn hair.

Hermes, the winged-footed-god, frowned at him. He knows where Hermes is coming from. It is very unusual for him to be seen by other deities and he could bet on the lost soul's freedom that it shook Hermes to his very core to see him in broad daylight.

"Thanatos, what are you doing here?!" Hermes asked him.

"Ah! Is that how you greet a friend of yours from the underworld?" He asked Hermes.

"Good day then. What are you doing here in this meadow and with that?" Hermes asked, incredulity in his voice tinged with some curiousness for the lost soul tied with black ropes fashioned by the Underworld itself and is used to capture lost and wild souls like this one beside his feet.

"A lost soul, running amok. I was chasing him from sun up to sun down for five days now. A very fast runner you could say that again. I was losing hope of catching him until Artemis," He pointed at the goddess of the hunt with the silver arrow "hit his knee cap, slowing him down to the point that he could no longer run. I tied him and saw the silver arrow, I thought I could give it back and here I was."

"A lost soul?" The little goddess asked him with hazel eyes as wide as tea cups at the moment. _Very innocent_.

"Yes. They are the souls who refuse to accept that they are dead and still try to live, possessing mortal bodies, compelling those mortals to do their bidding. It is a nasty business and job if you ask me, but here I am."

"Thanatos." Artemis said, biting at the name and wincing as if it tastes bitter.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I felt someone evil." Artemis said in a clipped voice.

"That must be this lost soul. He killed mortals after possessing them. He raped a young mortal girl, and then fed on her like an ugly and wild beast. It's his unforgivable acts that you sensed, making him evil." Thanatos tried to touch the lost soul's shoulder but it snapped at his finger like a rabid wolf. Trying to smile, he added, "This will definitely go straight to Tartarus. If he just accepted his fate when he was ushered by Charon to the judges he could have been brought to Asphodel. It was very bad of him to run away and ravish mortals. Failure to accept Death – me – will lead to this insanity resulting to eternal damnation in the very pits of Tartarus. But then again you wouldn't understand it, you are immortals."

"And you think you do understand them?" The little goddess asked him. "You are also immortal right? Thanatos, the god of the dead or _Death_ himself."

"And you are?"

"Persephone, the goddess of the Spring. This Artemis, the goddess of the Hunt. Athena, the goddess of wisdom and strategies and this is Hermes. You know him." Persephone said.

"So! You are Persephone. Now I understand." Thanatos said with a smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Never you mind." Thanatos answered with a smile. Now he knows what's keeping Hecate excited by the prospect of their Lord Hades marrying a goddess named Persephone. She is beautiful in a different way than the two. The two goddesses' beauties are regal ones while Persephone's beauty is something else. _Her beauty is oozing with life, invigorating beauty. She is the one for Lord Hades. I can sense it._

"What makes you understand them then?" Persephone asked.

"Because I am Death. I understand what it is like for them. I was the one brought out of the darkest abyss of Tartarus to unleash mortality in the land of men. I was called to make sure that only deities like you would bathe in immortality. I am Death itself, surely, I know myself more than anyone of you knows me. Enough of this; I need to go and bring this to the judges to be judged. Good day to all of you."

After he said those words, he opened up his back and black feathery wings – like a raven's – sprouted out of it, flapping his wings bringing out strong winds to fan the deities looking at him. Smiling, he carried the lost soul – now too weak to fight him – and fly higher than the tallest pine tree. Nodding at them, he dive head first into the ground – his speed making a screeching sound – and vanished.

"That is awesome." Persephone whispered.

"Wicked!" Hermes agreed.

"Show off." Artemis murmured, looking at the silver arrow sprawled on the ground with three black feathers near it.

"Stupid." Athena said shaking her head. "Let's go, we got a lot of things to do today. Hermes, you can go."

"You are not letting me come with you?"

"No. Now, go." Artemis answered.

"Fine." Hermes said with a tone that says '_You nasty goddess of the hunt! You!_'

He could hear those words from above. Thanatos, smiling at himself and feeling so godly at the moment, went straight to where the judges are and dropped the lost soul in front of them without even greeting them. Turning his back and making his way out he could not help but think '_Until you and my master meet again Lady Persephone. Until then._ _And you, goddess of the hunt, I have a feeling we will meet again._'


End file.
